State Roundup, May 11, 2018

SUCCESSION PLANS: Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz spent nearly three decades building a close-knit family, a successful legal career and a formidable political machine — all from the comfort of his native Baltimore County. With his sudden death, Baltimore County government must plan for his replacement and his gubernatorial running mate Valerie Ervin must decide is she will run in his stead, Doug Donovan and Pamela Wood of the Sun write.

REMEMBRANCES CONTINUE: What was supposed to be a gubernatorial candidate forum Thursday night at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County became time for candidates and attendees to share memories of Kamenetz, Christina Tkacik writes in the Sun. Together, they painted a portrait of a boisterous, committed and, at times, downright goofy public servant who loved his family, Maryland politics and the Orioles — in that order. Many spoke of his political achievements, including his efforts to protect Dreamers on college campuses.

Kamenetz awoke in his Owings Mills home feeling tightness in his chest early Thursday. Rather than call 911 for an ambulance, he chose to drive about two miles away to the Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company where he had been known to get snowballs with his family, Alison Knezevich and Jessica Anderson of the Sun report. Officials said they don’t know why he chose to go to the fire station, tucked away off scenic Greenspring Avenue. The fire station is about 10 miles northwest — a nearly 20-minute drive — to St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson where he died.

HOGAN IN HOWARD COUNTY: Gov. Larry Hogan and members of his cabinet kicked off today’s tour of Howard County, with visits scheduled to county businesses and institutions, on a somber note, reports Kate Magill in the Howard County Times. The morning was overshadowed by the sudden death of Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

BUMP STOCKS: The state of Maryland has stumbled across a novel way to satisfy gun-control opponents: create a licensing process that cannot be put into practice, WBAL-AM is reporting. Maryland lawmakers had sought to ban bump stocks, the controversial rifle accessory used in last year’s Las Vegas massacre. But in writing the law, a clause allowing some gun owners to keep them may have backfired. The new law allows bump stocks and other “rapid-fire trigger activators” to be owned by people who get special dispensation from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. But the agency has no process or authority to offer that dispensation and, indeed, was never even told of the Maryland law.

‘NOT AUTHORIZED’ POLITICAL SIGNS: The blue-and-white campaign signs sprinkled between Arnold and Severna Park lay out a few moral complaints about Republican candidates in county and state elections — but the person who paid for and placed them might not be on the moral high ground, reports Chase Cook for the Annapolis Capital. The handful of signs read “Peroutka = White Supremacy, Leopold = Convict and McConkey = Disbarred, We deserve better leaders, do your research, vote November 6.” The bottom of the sign is labeled with: “Not authorized by any opponent.”

CITY STATE’s ATTORNEY HOPEFULS DEBATE: Rarely does debate between candidates for elected office take place in front of a mountain of beer, nor is there usually an abundance of formalwear in a brewery. But that was the scene Wednesday evening at Peabody Heights Brewery on 30th Street in Baltimore, which played host to a forum for the candidates for Baltimore City state’s attorney, Samuel Manas reports in Maryland Matters. The forum was lively and sometimes touched on tensions between the candidates, but one important element was missing — the incumbent state’s attorney for Baltimore City, Marilyn J. Mosby (D).